Combination tape-rule and circle-marker



UNITED STATES Y PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH EDXVIN CLOUGH, OF ROCKLAND, DELA\VARE.

COMBINATION TAPE-RULE'AND CIRCLE-MARKER.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 588,129, dated August17', 1897. Application filed April 12, 1897. Serial No. 631,684. (Nomodel.)

To all whmn it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH EDWIN CLoUcH, a citizen of the United States,residing at Rockland, in the county of New Castle and State of Delaware,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in a CombinationTapeRule and Circleilarker; and I do declare the following to be a full,clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enableothers skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use thesame, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to thefigures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of thisspecification.

My invention relates to improvements in a combination instrument to beused as an ordinary tape-rule and circle-marker; and my object is toprovide a simple, cheap, and durable device and at the same time onethat can be quickly and easily adjusted to mark a true and completecircle of any diameter.

A further object of my invention is to provide a tape by means of whicha scale of onehalf inch to the inch can be very readily obtained withoutthe trouble usually experienced in work of thiskind, and is also used inconnection with the indicator to mark a circle of any desired diameterwithout computation.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of my devicein readiness to be used as a circle-inscriber. Fig. 2 is a perspectiveview showing the spring-band and indicator. Fig. 3 is a perspective Viewin detail of tape and pencil-holder. Fig. 4 is a detail perspective Viewof the center or pivot pin, and Fig. 5 is adetail view of theindicator-lifting device.

In the said drawings, 1 indicates the casin g or housing for the tape,having protruding flanges 0r rims 2 for the purpose of holding thespring-band 3 in place and to prevent it from slipping laterallyfrom thecasing. I This hand does not entirely encircle the casin g, but has theappearance of being severed near the center of one side, the lower endbeing bent down from a point at, forming a straight horizontal plate 5.This plate serves as a hearing for the indicator 6, and has on its undersurface a center or pivot pin 7, to be used when marking circles. Thispin is fastened to the plate 5 by means of cars 8 and is held open orclosed by means of a leaf-spring 9. The upper end of the band 3 is bentup from a point 10 and forms the horizontal platform 11, having upon itsupper surface cars 12, between which is fastened, by means of abearing-pin 13, the lifting-arm 14. At the outer end of the lifting-arm14 andat right angles thereto is the upright arm 15, which is providedwith a button 16 at its upper end. The outer end of the lifting-arm 14is bifur cated to receive the upper end of the indicator-rod 17, and isheld thereto by means of a pin 18, passing through the head 19 of therod 17. Fastened to the under side of the platform 11 is a cylinder ortube 20, through which passes the rod 17 and serves as a bearing orguide therefor. The lower end of the tube also serves as a bearing forthe upper end of the coil-spring 21. Fastened to the lower end of therod 17 is the indicator 6, by means of which, together with the spring21, the tape 22 is held at any point desired. The indicator also servesas a bearing for the lower end of the spring 21. The tape 22 is providedupon one half of its upper surface with a scale of standard measure andupon the other half with a scale of one-half inch to the inch, as shownin Fig. 3. At the outer end of the tape is fastened a thimble orpencil-holder 25.

In operation the indicator 6 is raised by pressing the thumb or fingerdown upon the button 16, allowing the tape 22, which is spring-actuated,to pass in or be pulled out to the point desired. Then removing thethumb from the button the spring 21 forces the indicator down again andclamps the tape firmly between the indicator and the plate 5. Then byplacing the pivot-pin 7 in a vertical position and inserting a pencil inthe thimble 23 the device is ready for use. Should the diameter of anobject be three inches and it is desired to reduce this scale toone-half inch tothe inch, it will be seen that by placing the indicatorat 3 on the side of the tape marked one-half inch to the inch thereduced diameter is accurately obtained without inconvenience, or shouldit be desired to mark a circle four inches in diameter it is onlynecessary to set the indicator 6 at at on the half-inch side of thetape, which is equal to the twoinch mark, which will give a circle fourinches in diameter.

It will be understood that the casing 1 incloses the ordinaryspring-wound tape,which tape may be either of fabric or steel, with themarkings, as described.

In use the point 7 is used as a center pin, the casing being held in theleft hand, while the right grasps the pencil and swings the outer end ofthe tape around to form a circle or any segment thereof.

When not in use, the pivot-pin 7 is to be folded up against the bottomof the plate 5, and should it be necessary to use the tape without thecircle device it can easily be removed by simply pushing the lower endof the spring-band 3 down far enough to allow the casing 1 to pass out.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secureby Letters Patent of the United States, is

1. A combined tape-rule and circle-marker, comprising a casing toreceive the tape 22,- the tape having markings as shown, and apencil-holder 23, upon its outer end, a band 3, adapted to surround saidcasing, one end thereof forming the bottom plate 5, having a hingedpoint 7, secured to the bottom thereof; the other end upturned to formthe horizontal plate 11, said plate provided with the ears 12, upon theupper side, andthe tube 20, upon the lower side; a bifurcated lever let,pivoted between said ears 12, a rod 17, pivoted between the bifurcatedends of the lever 14, and passing through the tube 20, and having anindicator 6, upon its lower end, and a coilspring 21, surrounding saidrod between said tube and indicator, all substantially as shown anddescribed.

2. In a combined tape rule and circlemarker, the combination with thetape-rule and case thereof, of a band 3, having upper and lowerhorizontal ends 5, and 11, the lower end 5, having a folding pivot-point7, secured to the lower face thereof, the upper face being smooth forthe tape 22, to slide upon; the

upper end 11, having a suitably-pivoted leverarm 14, pivoted to the rod17, by which said rod may be raised and lowered, a tube 20, secured tosaid end 11, to serve as a guide for the rod 17, a spring 21,surrounding said rod, having its bearing against the indicator 6, at

the lower end of said rod, and against the lower end of the tube 20, andadapted to hold band 3, having the lower plate 5, carrying the point 7,between ears 8, and held by the spring 9, upon its lower face, and thehorizontal upper plate 11, provided with the ears 12, on its upper face,and the tube or rod-guide 20, upon its lower face; a bifurcated lever14, pivotally mounted between the cars 12, and having the upturned end15, provided with a butten 16, and the rod 17, pivotally secured to thelever 14, at its upper end, passing through the tube 20, carrying thespring 21, and provided with the indicator (5, at its lower end, allsubstantially as shown and described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOSEPH EDW'IN OLOUGH.

WVitnesses:

JOSEPH A. BUCK, XVILLIAM HAGAN.

